This invention relates to solving problems in Xerography and more specifically in the toner cartridge remanufacturing industry. This includes copiers, laser printers and facsimile machines which will be referred to as imaging machines. This invention also relates to the industrial machinery industry.
CANON has designed an all-in-one cartridge as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,744, issued Dec. 4, 1990 and assigned to CANON. Several companies have used these cartridges in laser printers, copy machines and facsimile machines, each with the varying printer engines and a different nameplate. Originally, these cartridges were designed to be xe2x80x9cdisposablexe2x80x9d. However, after the first all-in-one toner cartridge was introduced, it did not take long before laser cartridge remanufacturers such as myself began remanufacturing these cartridges. These xe2x80x9cdisposablexe2x80x9d cartridges were designed to function for only one cartridge cycle without remanufacturing. The remanufacturers had found certain components that needed replacement on a regular basis. In 1990, the first aftermarket photoreceptor drum became available for use in remanufacturing the all-in-one cartridge of the xe2x80x9cSXxe2x80x9d engine variety, the most popular printer cartridge from around 1987 through 1993. When the long-life photoreceptor drum became available, the entire remanufacturing industry turned around and gained great strength and began a huge growth surge that still continues. In October 1993, HEWLETT-PACKARD, the largest seller of this printer engine using the all-in-one cartridge, entered the cartridge remanufacturing industry with the xe2x80x9cOptivaxe2x80x9d cartridge, further increasing the size as well as credibility of this relatively new industry. However, this relatively new industry grew from the all-in-one cartridge shortly after its debut. Before the introduction of the long-life drum, sometimes called the xe2x80x9csuperdrumxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cduradrumxe2x80x9d, the SX cartridge would last for around three cartridge remanufacturing cycles at best, since the actual useful life of the OEM drum was three cycles. However, the long-life drums got their names from the fact that they were designed to last for many remanufacturing cycles or recharges as they are sometimes called. Typically, the long life drum can last for ten or more such cycles, unlike the typical OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) drum. With the additional developments of drum coatings, originally designed for OEM drums, the long-life drum may last for many additional cycles. Some coatings, in theory, were designed to be dissolved and removed from over the drum surface every 1-3 cycles, so the drum life of the long-life drum almost seems limitless.
However, with photoreceptor drums lasting for many cycles, other components of the cartridge have a tendency to require greater durability, a better solution, or a greater life. Also, as the success of these cartridges has skyrocketed, the demand is for cartridges with longer cycles, so component improvements are significant. Therefore, avoiding natural problems with prevention means must also be implemented for cartridges of longer life both in longer cycle times and greater number of cycles. One good example is the electrical contact used in many developer rollers of toner cartridge assemblies.
Inventor was awarded U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,634,175 and 5,648,838 for electrical contacts for developer roller assemblies. To properly install an electrical contact from the above patents in the most robust way, one would want to press-fit the contact into the inner wall of the developer roller. It sounds simple. However, you can not just get an arbor press and press fit the contacts because arbor presses have a very short maximum press-fit height. Most arbor presses look alike, just that some are bigger and more powerful than the others, among the most common arbor presses. However, a xc2xd ton arbor press has a 4 inch height and a one ton press is not much higher, a two ton press is not much higher and even a 5 ton arbor press typically is not very high. To press-fit contacts into developer rollers, most developer rollers are over ten inches long and even an expensive 5 ton arbor press, much greater in weight and power than necessary, is not long enough to press-fit all sizes of developer rollers. In another example, the WX (5Si) developer roller is over 18 inches long and would not even fit in a 5 ton arbor press in the typical case. To solve this problem, inventor has developed an arbor press extender device to lengthen the maximum press length that an arbor press may press. Thus, with this invention, even a small xc2xd ton arbor press may be used for press-fitting an electrical contact on a long developer roller sleeve. With the extender device of this invention, there is no limit in the maximum allowable press length that may be pressed with an arbor press, and thus, a small xc2xd ton arbor press with the extender device of this invention may press a part of a greater length than a large 5 ton arbor press without the extender device of this invention which saves a lot of money.
An electrobushing will be introduced that is a bushing for truing rotational motion of a developer roller while at the same time acting as an electrically contacting device. This simplifies number of parts and makes a stronger connection and thus may obsolete the use of spring with contact.
Accordingly, it is object of this invention to show an improved contact receiving device that not only improves rotational trueness of developer rollers, but also is a link in the electrical contact""s connection, thus making improved toner cartridges and improved image forming apparatuses.
It is yet a further object of this invention to show an improved contact receiving device to improve rotational trueness of developer rollers.
It is an further object of this invention to show an arbor press extender device to increase the length that a press-fit may be performed.
It is a further object of this invention to show an arbor press extender with modular fixtures and fixture holders that receive each end of the developer roller including an electrical contact that may be press-fit.
It is still a further object of this invention to show an arbor press extender with fixtures that receive each end of the developer roller including an electrical contact that may be press-fit.
It is yet a further object of this invention to show modular fixtures to fit into fixture holders to allow quick change from one type of press-fit to be performed to another with minimal set-up time between press-fit styles and sizes.
It is yet a further object of this invention to show quick snap-on/snap-off fixtures and fixture holders for quick connect/quick disconnect of fixtures to fixture holders where fixtures may be held firmly in place without falling off the fixture holder using the concept used in quick connect air hose connections.
It is yet a further object of this invention to show modular fixture holders and fixtures for press fitting applications that quickly install and uninstall using air-hose quick-connect couplers and nipples.
It is yet a further object of this invention to show modular fixture holders and fixtures for press fitting applications that quickly install and uninstall using a small piece of hose in the bore of the fixture module to make a tight yet removable quick connection.
In carrying out this invention in the illustrative embodiment thereof, an arbor press is equipped with an extender device to increase the maximum allowable part length that may be pressed. This not only eliminates the need for using a larger press by allowing a smaller press to be used for pressing long parts, which also saves money, but some parts which may be too long to fit on a much larger arbor press may now be pressed on a small arbor press. Modular quick-connect/quick-disconnect fixtures may be used to fit in fixture holders for holding firm different types of parts and different styles of developer rollers which may now be press-fit using this extender device of this invention. With this extender device, even extremely long parts may be press-fit economically which opens new doors for applications using arbor presses in many industries as a result of this invention. Even an adjustable length arbor press extender may be used for variable extender length for multiple applications with one extender device. An electrobushing is a bushing that conducts electricity to a developer roller in a toner cartridge which is a component of an image forming apparatus or directly in an image forming apparatus for improved toner efficiency, darker print, more even print and an improved system.